This invention relates to discharge of fluidizable ladings from containers including but not limited to transportion type containers, overland trucks and railway hopper cars by pneumatic or gravity discharge.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,752 a readily removable permeable filter member is disclosed which is utilized to fluidize the lading and then discharge the same from a railway hopper car or other hopper type containers. However, the complete outlet must be removed from its hopper and disassembled in which a number of fastening bolts must be removed to remove the permeable member in this construction. Thus considerable operator time is required for this operation, and at least in the case of a railway hopper car downtime of the car or unloading system may be required to change the permeable member.
This problem is compounded when the permeable member is contaminated by an air supply system which clogs the permeable member during fluidization from the side opposite the lading. With such contaminated supply air the need to clean and/or replace the permeable member quickly becomes more crucial to maintain efficient unloading rates and prevent damage to the permeable member.
Furthermore, the permeable member disclosed in the said U.S. Pat. No. 3,659,752 patent is expensive. It is desired to reduce the cost of this member, and thus make it more attractive to maintain a clean and efficient membrane.